Things people don't like about Pool Halls

Have I ever mentioned loud obnoxious inconsiderate noise and swearing some of you kids call music?

Sure there are some brain dead inconsiderate animals out there, but having been a room owner myself, I'm saddened that the degeneration of our society has infected even the room owners who ... in the name of a few coins in the jukebox accept and even condone this garbage music.

You can't bring kids in to rooms unless you don't care that they hear Fk this and MFk that and kill the cops and shoot the drugs. If you're any kind of parent you don't want to expose your kids to this garbage. No wonder the game isn't growing.

No wonder schools don't get involved with pool teams. Any of them that visited one of these migraine factories is soon turned off to it all.

I think some room owners need to realize the garbage they allow and the volume they play it at and grow some balls and pull the plug.
 
trustyrusty said:
Ok, I'm gonna get flamed, but screw it....what's wrong with the poolhalls I've visited is their cheapass clientele! Sure, they can complain about the tables not being maintained very well, and that the place has to have video games and loud music to draw in non-players (well, bangers for lack of a better term). Why is that? What do most of the complaints boil down to? Players *****ing that anything over a 10 dollar ALL DAY rate is outrageous! Oh, they may be able to bet for hundreds a set, but there's no way they can pay CRAZY table time rates! :rolleyes: It's laughable really.

You want to play in an establishment that caters to the needs (all of them) that you want? PAY for it.....MOST won't, and the business will certainly go under! It's a business....golfers will shell out the cash for a pricey course if it's worth it. If they are overcharging for what they offer, they lower the price, or they too will be out of business. As with most things, you get what you pay for....the nicer things cost more, so don't expect a nice room with all the amenities to charge the same table time rates as the run down room in the less than desirable part of town.
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I agree with you.

Too many pool players want THE WORLD from a pool room but refuse to help the business grow by spending money. They won't buy food or drink, only show up once a week or once a month for tournaments, but they want the room to have the best of EVERYTHING and demand that the owners add A LOT OF MONEY to any tournament pot.

Well, where exactly do they think this money comes from? They act like the room owners have a secret stash of money in a vault they have siphoned from the players and won't spend any!

Are there greedy, cheap and stupid owners? Of course!

But more pool players need to visit their local rooms more often and throw in a few bucks.

I understand if the equipment is horrible, the atmosphere unbearable and the clientele/neighborhood dangerous...for that I sympathize.

I am talking about all the other players out there who have access to rooms that are halfway decent and refuse to go because they nit-pick at every little thing.
 
Lots of posts

Black-Balled said:
And, somebody asked the other day, "how did you get to 11k posts"?

Just like this.
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I just figure people with lots of posts just about have to be retired. If I wasn't retired I would not have had time to make my measley less than 200 posts. Don't forget it's quality not quantity.
 
Cheaters Okla. City

Wow, didn't realize what a great place Chesters was. Great food, cheap table time( I usually only play about 1 1/2 hours and get out always less than 3 bucks, maybe 5 or 6 if I have a burger) !! Totally different on Fri. Or Sat.night, but I very seldom go then anyway. Now I have gone to some Vietnamese places that seem to be the only places with multiple 3- cushion real billiard tables( no pockets) and I guarantee we don't get the same price as the regulars. Billfold discrimination!! Chester's in the morning is just one employee and they work. That's a concept I grew up with and some young people don't fully understand. Cards, dominoes, pool, ciggaretts and beer. It's a pool hall, get real. Hell, my old pool hall had spitoons every 12 feet.
 
I was in action ninety percent of the time I played in one particular pool hall. It might have been cheap action but it was still action.

Many times me and my opponent were the only players in place playing on 1 of 9 tables. Then, a set of double date couples come in to play games. GUESS WHERE WHICH TABLE THE HOUSE MAN PUTS THEM ON? That right, they end up playing on the table right next to us when there are seven other empty tables far away the could have been using.

The two girls inevitably can't make a bridge or identify which numbered ball they are shooting at. Their dates try to show them how to play or aim and up standing next to them while they shoot.

That is aggravating.
 
Mr. Wiggles said:
I just figure people with lots of posts just about have to be retired. If I wasn't retired I would not have had time to make my measley less than 200 posts. Don't forget it's quality not quantity.
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I am not retarded.

That is some quality stuff there!
 
Mr. Wiggles said:
Wow, didn't realize what a great place Chesters was. Great food, cheap table time( I usually only play about 1 1/2 hours and get out always less than 3 bucks, maybe 5 or 6 if I have a burger) !! Totally different on Fri. Or Sat.night, but I very seldom go then anyway. Now I have gone to some Vietnamese places that seem to be the only places with multiple 3- cushion real billiard tables( no pockets) and I guarantee we don't get the same price as the regulars. Billfold discrimination!! Chester's in the morning is just one employee and they work. That's a concept I grew up with and some young people don't fully understand. Cards, dominoes, pool, ciggaretts and beer. It's a pool hall, get real. Hell, my old pool hall had spitoons every 12 feet.
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3cushion thumbs up!

I miss the pool room I grew up in too. No beer, no radio, no video games. Hungry? Candy machine or go get something somewhere else.

Open 24/ 365, no lock core on the door. Action all the time. Had both billiard and pool tables.

Nothing like it around anymore, sadly.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
It's hard to justify a large selection of non-alcoholic beverages simply because there's a bar. Some of your suggestions make perfect sense. Fresh coffee and hot chocolate are easy to have and I cannot think of a good excuse not to have them. On the otherhand, smoothies require a blender which can be distracting for pool players and fresh juice can be expensive especially if it's not being sold for alcoholic beverages.
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One positive not about "non-alcoholic beverages" is you can not over serve a person too much ICE TEA. One of the Bars in the Valley of the Sun, with a BOOMING BUSINESS, and 4, 25 CENT/GAME BAR BOXES has a hugh selection of non-alcoholic beverages, because they make money for him, off his non Booze Drinking Clients!
 
Chain smokers make me stay away from pool halls. I live in Utah and I still have a hard time finding a pool hall where there isn't at least 10 smokers in at a time.
 
I can deal with most anything except bad playing conditions...

- tables with obvious roles in them
- dirty felt
- dirty balls
- loose rails

These cost nothing to fix, just some time put in by the person that is usually just sitting around during the off-peak hours.

- crappy felt

Replace when worn to the point that it affects the game.
 
NO 3 CUSHION TABLES.
Then they call themselves a billiard parlor.

A little side bar: Most "Billiard Parlor" Owners have never heard of 3 Cushion. You'd think someone in the business would at least know. Then if they happen to have a table they know nothing about the game and therefore no basic maintenance.
 
3kushn said:
NO 3 CUSHION TABLES.
Then they call themselves a billiard parlor.

A little side bar: Most "Billiard Parlor" Owners have never heard of 3 Cushion. You'd think someone in the business would at least know. Then if they happen to have a table they know nothing about the game and therefore no basic maintenance.
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In New York State, poolrooms are not allowed to use the word "pool" in their business name. "Billiards" is the only suitable alternative. I'm sure other states have similar statutes.
 
Kevin Lindstrom said:
SMOKE

It is the absolute worst thing about most poolrooms. I love it when I am at a smoke free poolroom.

Kevin
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I agree with you on this one. But unfortunately as a former pool room owner I know my business would have failed while I owned it if smoking would not have been allowed back then. I would like to see smoking fall out of favor with Americans and pool become the rave.
 
What I hate most about pool halls:

1. Smoke
2. Dirty Tables
3. Dirty Balls
4. Rap Music
 
Jeez, I guess I'm lucky. The room I frequent is clean, the tables are very well maintained. The clerks are very friendly and even come to ask "How's your beer? ready for another? They have Brunswick Medalist tables, never heard of them before, but they play nice. The owner is 3 cushion fanatic so there are 3 billiard tables with heated slate! And they have 3 cushion tournaments every thursday night I believe. The food is your usual bar fare. The music is right up my alley 50's and 60's stuff. Where is this wonderful place you ask? It's George's in Boynton Beach, Florida...Oh, I forgot to mention, no smoking
 
Well, I'm very old school. I like dark, quiet, smokey pool rooms, with good, well maintained equipment, and good shooters........and even though I'm a musician............NO MUSIC!!! All I want to hear is low whispers, and the clicking of the balls.

Sadly, these type of rooms are a thing of the past.:crying:
 
Bad things about poolrooms/poolhalls

Well now days/not days of old, its the hired help, most are there just for the weekly check, they don't know anything about cue sticks, tables, chalk, or ever think about cleaning a table, thats just the way it is now.

A few pool player patrons may take it upon themselves to see that tables get cleaned, and cue's get (tipped) repaired, mostly the hired help knows you check out the balls then return them and get charged a fee, thats about it!


David Harcrow
 
To tell you the truth, the reasons I won't go to a pool room are fairly simple.

Poorly Maintained Equipment
Smoke
Bad Lighting
Bad Cleintele
Overpriced


Since I have a table at home, and so do most of my friends, the ONLY reason I go to a pool room is for the players. If they are open and inviting, play a good game, and are willing to share and be open to new comers, I am there.

I drive past 100 pool halls to get to the only one I go to. It is 50.1 miles from my house in Chicago area. The staff is courteous, the owner, whom I have played is a great player and a heck of nice guy, and the folks that play 14.1 there, 1-pocket and banks are ALL great and inviting people.

Just my .02

The ENVIRONMENT that matters to me is the people.
 
Kevin Lindstrom said:
SMOKE

It is the absolute worst thing about most poolrooms. I love it when I am at a smoke free poolroom.

Kevin
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I'll second this. As long as the ventilation system is OK, it's not much of a problem, but if I'm in a room where I can hardly breathe, I'm outta there.

I also hate loud/boisterous "regulars". You know, the guys who are there almost every single day playing their ring game and the volume gets out of control and they're sharking each other on practically every shot. They act like they're the only guys in the place and have zero consideration for anyone else.
 
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